It seems unlikely, but car accidents where no other vehicle is involved happen all of the time.
There are many factors that may lead to a single vehicle accident. Slick road conditions and driver fatigue are just two of hundreds of ways a car may collide without another vehicles involvement. The circumstances vary greatly, as do the ways in which you may receive compensation. If you have recently been hurt in a single car accident, do not feel as if you are solely responsible. A Missouri car accident attorney can investigate your case to figure out if there is a way for you to recover the damages.
Determining Liability in Single Vehicle Accidents
In some single car accidents, the liable party may be clear. If the accident was a result of a mechanical malfunction in your car then the manufacturer or your mechanic may be to blame. Accidents caused by slick roadways or a dangerous curve could be the fault of the highway department if you can prove that they knew about a dangerous road condition and did not attempt to rectify it. It could even possibly be that you are liable for the collision if you were guilty of being inattentive while driving. Your attorney needs to know all of the facts in your case to help make a determination of who was at fault.
Other types of single vehicle crashes may not be so cut and dry. For example, a Missouri man was initially denied his claim against his own insurance carrier after he was hurt when his vehicle hit a deer in the road. The insurance adjusters tried to show that he was responsible for his own injury stating he was driving too fast in inclement weather conditions. Obviously you cannot hold an animal responsible for a car crash, so how can you recover the damages? In this instance he had to aggressively argue his case with the insurance company who eventually consented to pay the policy limit.
Getting Compensated
Seeking compensation from your own insurance carrier is not as easy as it sounds. Even though the insurance is there to help you pay off expensive medical bills, insurance adjusters will still attempt to try and find ways to avoid paying you. An experienced St. Louis car accident attorney is well aware of insurance carrier tactics, and may need to threaten the insurance company with a bad faith suit if they continue to refuse to pay, especially when the injury is an obvious one and the cause of the accident not the fault of any other party. Insurance carriers know that if they are found to be guilty in a bad faith action the payout will be much higher so they will usually agree on a settlement at that point.
No matter what the circumstance, an injured motorist should always consult with a Missouri car accident attorney first, before deciding that their accident does not warrant a civil suit. Hospital bills accrued after an accident tend to be expensive and if there is a chance for compensation than you should to try your best to get it.
photo credit: timo_w2s
